Spalletti hopes Bodo/Glimt victory can part clouds over Juventus
Jonathan David's stoppage-time strike inched Juventus past Bodo/Glimt, as the Bianconeri finally got off the mark in the Champions League.
Luciano Spalletti hopes Juventus' 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League can help to shift the "cloud" over his team and kickstart their campaign.
Juventus travelled to Norway with three draws and one defeat through the first four matchdays in the Champions League, and in freezing conditions on Bodo's artificial pitch, their winless run threatened to continue.
Ole Didrik Blomberg gave Bodo a half-time lead, but Lois Openda and Weston McKennie struck to turn the game around before the hour. Sondre Fet got the hosts level from the penalty spot late on, only for Jonathan David to bundle in a stoppage-time winner.
The victory lifted the Bianconeri – who are struggling for form in Serie A – to 21st in the standings, and Spalletti hopes it can be something of a turning point.
"The team does feel this cloud over them, with everything that is said," Spalletti told Sky Sports Italia. "They don't have the freedom to make decisions and play their game.
"There were problems here too, with the attitude, when we allowed Bodo/Glimt back into the game. We could have avoided that.
"The players need to grow in terms of belief and courage, we need that extra step in both mentality and in our training, because we don't have the right tempo in training.
"A few players are not fully fit or in form, and we need to do this in a real match situation, not in the neutrality of training, because for speed of thought and movement, you need that scenario."
Juventus directed 16 shots on target in Tuesday's game, the joint-most by an away side in a Champions League match on record (also 16 for Bayern Munich v Crvena Zvedza in 2019).
The visitors also won the expected goals (xG) battle by 3.44 to 1.75, leaving Spalletti to say they deserved the victory.
"The team played an open, attacking game, and it was a struggle at times, as Bodo/Glimt play with really impressive passing and speed of thought on this pitch," he added.
"That had rather intimidated us, looking at their previous home matches. We didn't make the most of some pretty easy situations in the first half, then after the break they doubled up and pushed hard.
"This is an important victory, one the lads deserved, and we dedicate it to ourselves and those fans who made the trip to see us here."
Juventus host Cagliari in Serie A on Saturday, before a Coppa Italia tie with Udinese on Tuesday. They then visit Scudetto holders Napoli, and their former head coach Antonio Conte, on December 7.
